Dontcha love computers?

C

>On Thursday, 24 January 2002, Derek Guille broadcast this story on his
> > afternoon program on ABC radio.
> >
> > In March, 1999, a man living in Kandos (near Mudgee in NSW) received a
>bill
> > for his as yet unused gas line stating that he owed $0.00. He ignored it
>and
> > threw it away. In April he received another bill and threw that one away

> > too.
> >
> > The following month the gas company sent him a very nasty note stating
>they
> > were going to cancel his gas line if he didn't send them $0.00 by return

> > mail. He called them, talked to them, and they said it was a computer
>error
> > and they would take care of it.
> >
> > The following month he decided that it was about time that he tried out
>the
> > troublesome gas line figuring that if there was usage on the account it
> > would put an end to this ridiculous predicament. However, when he went

to

> > use the gas, it had been cut off.
> >
> >
> > He called the gas company who apologised for the computer error once
>again
> > and said that they would take care of it. The next day he got a bill for

> > $0.00 stating that payment was now overdue. Assuming that having
>spoken to
> > them the previous day the latest bill was yet another mistake, so he
>ignored
> > it, trusting that the company would be as good as their word and sort

the

> > problem out. The next month he got a bill for $0.00. This bill also
>stated
> > that he had 10 days to pay his account or the company would have to take

> > steps to recover the debt.
> >
> > Finally, giving in, he thought he would beat the company at their own
>game
> > and mailed them a cheque for $0.00. The computer duly processed his
>account
> > and returned a statement to the effect that he now owed the gas company
> > nothing at all.
> >
> > A week later, the manager of the Mudgee branch of the Westpac Banking
> > Corporation called our hapless friend and asked him what he was doing
> > writing a cheque for $0.00. After a lengthy explanation the bank manager

> > replied that the $0.00 cheque had caused their cheque processing

software

>to
> > fail. The bank could therefore not process ANY cheques they had received

> > from ANY of their customers that day because the cheque for $0.00 had
>caused
> > the computer to crash.
> >
> > The following month the man received a letter from the gas company
>claiming
> > that his cheque had bounced and that he now owed them $0.00 and unless

he

> > sent a cheque by return mail they would take immediate steps to recover
>the
> > debt.
> >
> > At this point, the man decided to file a debt harassment claim
>against the
> > gas company. It took him nearly 2 hours to convince the clerks at the
>local
> > courthouse that he was not joking. They subsequently assisted him in the

> > drafting of statements which were considered substantive evidence of the

> > aggravation and difficulties he had been forced to endure during this
> > debacle.
> >
> > The matter was heard in the Magistrate's Court in Mudgee and the outcome

>was
> > this:
> >
> > The gas company was ordered to:
> >
> > [1] Immediately rectify their computerised accounts system or show

cause,

> > within 10 days, why the matter should not be referred to a higher court
>for
> > consideration under Company Law.
> >
> > [2] Pay the bank dishonour fees incurred by the man.
> >
> > [3] Pay the bank dishonour fees incurred by all the Westpac clients

whose

> > cheques had been bounced on the day our friend's had been.
> >
> > [4] Pay the claimant's court costs; and
> >
> > [5] Pay the claimant a total of $1500 per month for the 5 month period
>March
> > to July inclusive as compensation for the aggravation they had caused
>their
> > client to suffer.
> >
> > And all this over $0.00.
> >
> > This story can also be viewed on the ABC website.
>

Natalie